After almost a year of standing empty the former Woolworths shop in Peach Street reopened as Alworths.

By 3.30pm on the first day, 5,000 people had visited the new store.

Gone is the red colour scheme and in its place is a fresh green and purple theme and wider aisles, making it more accessible for prams and wheelchairs.

Still in place are many of the former staff at the Peach Street store, including new manager Wendy Hutchinson, who worked in the store until the team was made redundant when the branch closed on December 27.

Mrs Hutchinson, of Patten Ash Drive, said: “After all the doom and gloom in the last year when poor old Woolworths went, here we are with a new retailer opening up and it’s onwards and upwards.

“It has been magical. We are in a big happy bubble and have had lots of people recognising us and congratulating us.”

Competition winner Sophie Ross cut the ribbon.

St Crispin’s School pupil Sophie, 11, won a Wokingham Times contest to launch the store by finishing the sentence “I would like to open the Alworths store in Wokingham because…” in 50 words.